Day 4: Kyoto – Yasaka Shrine & Maruyama Park

Post-breakfast at Holly’s Café, we took a 10 minute bus ride to Gion District to begin our sojourn that’d lead us eventually to Kiyomizu-dera temple in the late morning. We got off the bus at the intersection between Shijo and Higashioji streets, where the entrance to Ysaka Shrine is.

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The almost two-story vermilion gate near Shijo Street.

The shrine was very quiet and mostly devoid of visitors. On New Year’s Day though, the Shrine becomes packed with thousands flocking to it to pray for health and prosperity.

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More autumn late bloomers.
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If we're ever gonna return for a third trip to Japan, die-die must visit in Autumn.
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Stone lanterns with late autumn trees in the background.
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Very picturesque.
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Lanterns on top of us!
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Visitors offering early morning prayers.
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The Southern entrance to the Shrine.
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These three rows of lanterns clink against each other charmingly when the wind blows.

Just past Yasaka Shrine is Maruyama Park, which is according to the guide books a cherry-blossom viewing site in the right seasons.

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A willowy tree that hadn't yet completely closed shop for winter.
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The picture of Maruyama Park here doesn't nearly illustrate how freezingly cold the area was.
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All closed for winter.:(

We exited Maruyama Park and continued along Eastern Gion in the general direction of Kiyomizu Temple, where we were very pleasantly surprised by an unexpected sight. More in the next post!